Fatal “Swatting” Suspect held without bail

Tyler Raj Barriss is being held without bail after allegedly making a phone call that led to the death of an innocent Kansas man. Police swarmed Wichita resident Andrew Finch’s home after a hoax call was made saying that a person at the address had killed his father and was holding other members of his family at gunpoint. Finch, 28, answered the door after police swarmed his house. Without any knowledge of the call to 911, Finch opened the door and at one point moved his hands causing police to fatally shoot him. Barriss is believed to have been involved in a number of “swatting” incidents. Celebrities were plagued by “swatting” incidents in recent years where people make a fake phone call to police reporting an armed intruder in their home. A SWAT team is deployed and surrounds the home. Barriss plead no contest to a 2015 charge that involved making a false bomb threat to a local TV station.

Barriss faces extradition to Kansas to face charges on the tragic incident. Barriss will remain in custody until he is turned over to Kansas authorities. He will be transported between January 17 and February 2. Barriss is also suspected in a similar swatting incident that took place the week before in Calgary. Calgary authorities believe that Barriss called in a false report to police with a similar story to the one that led to the death of Finch a week before. The Los Angeles Police Department has released information that Barriss is part of an ongoing investigation regarding several other false reports made to police.